We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.
Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.
Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.
Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.
Untitled image
Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)
All rights reserved
This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.
Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)
Have a question? Contact Ballarat Tramway Museum
Yields information about the Mt Pleasant route and Barkly St.
Digital image, black and white, of No. 30 in bound along Barkly St, Mt Pleasant. Tram has a Twin Lakes sign and destination of Gardens via Drummond Nth. Tram picking up passenger at rear door, while a Vanguard motor car waits.
Photo taken by Peter Bruce 1970's and 1971, prior to the closure of the Ballarat tramway system.
Peter's Title of image: "No. 31 and Vanguard"
Photograph taken during Easter 1962 AETA tour of Ballarat with trams 37 and 18 at the Lydiard St North terminus.
Yields information about the trams used for an AETA visit in 1962
Black and white photograph printed on Ilford paper.
has "tram" and "trams at" in red ink on the side of the print.
trams, tramways, aeta, tours, special trams, tram 18, tram 37, lydiard st
Photograph taken during Easter 1962 AETA tour of Ballarat with trams 37 and 18 waiting in Lydiard St North to the North of the level crossing.
Yields information about the trams used for an AETA visit in 1962
Black and white photograph printed on Ilford paper.
has "tram" and "trams at" in red ink on the side of the print.
trams, tramways, aeta, tours, special trams, tram 18, tram 37, lydiard st
Book - 20 pages + card covers, full colour A4 centre stapled.
fiction
Cartoon story book about a lost boy in Melbourne travelling with Trevor the tram.
trevor, tramways, tramcars, cartoon, childrens books
Record shows the condition of the rail head at many points throughout the Ballarat system. Gives the type of rail, its weight, gauge, location and date of measurement See item 9127 for a report on the Special Work. Some sections measured in May 1954, rest May 1955
Demonstrates a detailed report into the condition and wear of the Ballarat Tramways trackwork in 1954/1955.
Report - within a manila card folder with steel clips containing about 44 drawings on drawing paper of rail sections.
Outside cover in ink "Legend Track Gauges"
ballarat, secv, trackwork, rails, reports
On the inside cover "Profiles of various parts of the tramway tracks, Ballarat Feb. 22, 1916. The profiles have been drawn in pencil from measurements at many locations. Gives the outline of the rail showing wear since 1905, location, and rail weight.
Demonstrates and ESCo record of rail track wear after some 10 years of operation.
Notebook - black card cloth based covers containing approx 50 ruled pages.
tramways, ballarat, tracks, rail profiles, rails, esco
Photograph shows SEC Ballarat tram No. 34 climbing Bakery Hill in Victoria St. The photo is taken at Humpffray St looking west. There is a Grocer on the left hand side of the photo. Photo by I K Winney of Sydney, 12/1949.
Yields information about the view looking west along Victoria St from Humpffray St during 1949.
Black and white photograph with photographers details on rear.
"Bogie No. 34 (ex MMTB C class) en route to Victoria St. Ballarat city area in background. 12/1949, I K Winney
tramcars, tram 34, victoria st, bakery hill
Sample of cloth found in a Museum uniform jacket pocket - used in the manufacture of new uniforms for BTM volunteers - same colour as that used by the SECV for its uniforms.
Yields information about the colour of the cloth used in SEC uniforms.
Sample of bottle Green cloth used in new BTM uniforms
uniforms, clothing, secv
Gives details with an index of the rules for Motorman, Conductors, and both types of employees together. Has an "Issued to" form inside the front cover - no entries. Has printer details on inside title sheet and on rear sheet and print stock details "FTY 18-8,-1507/40 on inside front only." Printed by the Government Printer H.E. Daw. Glued into the rear of the book is SEC By-Law No. 1, brown covers giving definitions, fares and charges, regulations re passengers, behaviour, smoking, dangerous goods, luggage, and behaviour of crews. Gives a schedule of fares and charges for Ballarat, Bendigo, and Geelong. Fares applied from 1937 to 1949. (See also item 3110). Printed by the Government Printer H Green. Details names of SEC Commissioners, Minister in Charge of Electrical Undertakings.
Demonstrates aspects of the way the SEC issued rules to employees on how they should behave and perform their duties safely. Yields information on particular items and operations.
Booklet with green cloth covers, titled in gold block "State Electricity Commission of Victoria - Tramways - Rules Governing Employees - May 1936"on heavy card with inside paper covers on heavy paper and 24 pages printed both sides, with stitched pages with white cotton. By-Law 1 dated 9/3/1937 has been glued into the back of the book.
tramways, ballarat, secv rules, by-laws, tickets, fares, motormen, conductors
Black and white photo of one of the saloon doors, possibly tram 37 with the Hawthorn Tramways Trust HTT logo or emblem etched into the glass. Most likely taken during the AETA 1962 tour,
Demonstrates the practice of having a logo etched into a former HTT tram.
Black and white photograph printed on Ilford paper.
trams, tramways, tram 37, htt, logos, emblems
Photograph taken during Easter 1962 AETA tour of Ballarat with trams 37 and 18 at the Victoria St terminus.
Yields information about the trams used for an AETA visit in 1962
Black and white photograph printed on Ilford paper.
trams, tramways, aeta, tours, special trams, tram 18, tram 37, victoria st.
Photograph of the three trams at the Mt Pleasant terminus during an AETA tour 21-4-1962. No. 20 the service tram, 18 and 37 the tour trams. No. 20 has Advertisements for the SEC, Ilford Film and a dash panel advert for The Age newspaper. See item 5249 for a similar Wal Jack photo. The date and location on the rear of the photo are incorrect.
Yields information about the trams used for an AETA visit in 1962 and worked within the service trams.
Black and white photograph printed on Ilford paper.
on rear in ink "Drummond St North 7th April 1962"
trams, tramways, aeta, tours, special trams, mt pleasant, tram 20, tram 18, tram 37
The SECV had chalets, cafes, mess halls and tea rooms all over Victoria including their construction sites. The SECV had a stores system which purchased thousands of sets of crockery & cutlery for use by personnel. there was a system of chefs, cooks, tea persons etc. to supply food and beverages to the workers. 1921 signified the year the SECV was formed. Heavy white ceramic oval plate with State Electricity Commission of Victoria 1921 logo/insignia on the inside of one edge - middle of the long side of the plate. On the base, also inscribed in red are details of the makers.
Oval shaped ceramic serving plate
SECV original logo including the wording "STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA", 1921. On underside, "Vitrified. Sold by Cafe & Hotel Supplies Pty. Ltd.". "Dunn Bennett & Co Ltd.". Burslem. Made in England.
secv, crockery, serving plate
Item used to contain the compressor fuse on tram 14, salvavaged during the project to renew the wiring of the tram. The box was located alongside the circuit breaker at No. 2 end of the tram.
Demonstrates an item fitted to a tramcar to contain a renewable fuse.
Wooden box containing a fuse, fuse holder and short sections of associated wire. The fuse holder is secured to the base of the box with brass screws. The box has a cover secured with a brass screw. There are two pieces of wire secured on the ceramic fuse holder, one of which the insulation has deteriorated and fallen off. The other wire has its cloth covered rubber insulation remaining in position. The outside of the box has been painted with the SEC tram green paint.
fuse, tram 14, tramcars, tramcar maintenance
Tramcar Destination Sign used by the Electric Supply Company of Victoria on the Ballarat Electric Trams. The ESCo operated the Ballarat electric trams from 1905 to 1934. Tramcar destination symbols originated in a time when a large part of the population was illiterate. The symbols were displayed on the front of the tram enabling the public to easily identify a tram's destination. The destination signs had a painted circle in the middle, the colour indicated the tram's destination. This particular sign has a yellow circle indicating the destination was Lydiard Street North. See Reg No. 5488.
Yields information about how the public related to the trams and their destinations.
Square sheet of steel, painted dark green and with a painted yellow circle 125mm in diameter in the middle. Has two circular holes near one side with an extended slot for fastening over hooks or screw heads. Has at least two layers paint with slightly different shades; all layers of paint are flaking. One edge is partially rusted away.
ballarat, tramways, tram, destination symbol, esco
Newspaper item about the installation of new bus stops and signs following the closure of the Victoria St tram line that Sunday. Quotes Mr Sharp City Engineer and Mr A Stott of the TRB about the new services and notes that the Skyline Wendouree Bus city stop would be unchanged.
Yields information about the closure of the SEC operated tram system and changed car parking.
Newspaper cutting from The Courier 21/8/1971
tramways, closure, ballarat, bridge st, car parking, bus stops, victoria st.
Newspaper item with photograph of Council workers changing car parking signs in Bridge St following the closure of the two tram routes using the streets. Notes the confusion over parking in bus stop zones.
Yields information about the closure of the SEC operated tram system and changed car parking.
Newspaper cutting from The Courier 8/9/1971.
tramways, closure, ballarat, bridge st, car parking, bus stops
Newspaper item written by Joe Rollo of The Age, about the closure of the Ballarat system interviewing Mr James Leggo 82 and recording that Herb Knight drove the last tram.
Yields information about the closure of the SEC operated tram system.
Newspaper cutting from The Age 20/9/1971
tramways, closure, ballarat, last tram, tram 40
Set of four newspaper cuttings about the Victorian Government's proposal to close Ballarat and Bendigo Tramways 1 - The Age 8/8/1968 - 455 x 84 - providing details of the proposal, SEC employees, bus replacement, and keeping some trams in Ballarat for use at Sovereign Hill. Notes the politics in the Government over this matter. 2 - The Age 27/10/1967 - 47 x 43 - noting that the State Government had ordered the TRB to hold an enquiry 3 - undated and unsourced - "Battle for Trams by Petition" - Cr Roff of Save the Trams Committee - slow start on the petition. Notes the TRB recommendation to scrap the trams. 4 - The Sun - "Save tram committee will meet" - 28/10/1967 - 122 x 40 - quotes Cr Rolf of the Committee and the negative view of Cr A Nicholson.
Yields information about the 1967/1968 proposal to closure both Ballarat and Bendigo Tramways. This proposal did not have the numbers in the upper house of the State Government.
Set of four newspaper cuttings.
Some have the newspaper source in ink along the top edge.
tramways, closure, ballarat, bendigo, trb, cr roff, cr nicholson, petitions
Newspaper clipping and photograph shows the removal of track in Albert St Sebastopol. It notes the work is being done by a contractor for the Borough of Sebastopol.
Yields information about the track removal in Sebastopol.
Newspaper clipping from The Courier 19/10/1971
Has the newspaper source in ink along the top edge.
tramways, tramcars, secv, tram track removal, borough of sebastopol
Newspaper clipping and photograph provides two stories about Ballarat Tramways following the last tram on 19/9/1971: 1 - "Start on the removal of the tram lines" - with a photo of welder K Drever of the CRB cutting rails in Sturt St. 2 - A piece, headed "Ballarat to blame for loss of trams?" quoting Mr N R White, SEC Chairman about the lack of willingness for Ballarat residents to use the trams, at the civic reception the previous day. Also quotes Cr. Chisholm, Mayor of Ballarat and Cr. Donald, President of the Borough of Sebastopol.
Yields information about the commencement of track removal in Ballarat and the SECV Commissioners view of the tramway closure.
Newspaper clipping from The Courier 21/9/1971
Has the newspaper source in ink along the top edge.
tramways, tramcars, secv, closure, tram track removal
Newspaper clipping and photograph provides the story of Ballarat tram No. 36 visiting Hawthorn and Camberwell areas following its return to Melbourne. Lists those who travelled on the tram
Yields information about the visit of SEC tram 36 to Hawthorn and Camberwell during Sept. 1971.
Newspaper clipping from the Eastern Suburbs Standard, 28/9/1971.
Has the newspaper source in ink along the top edge.
tramways, tramcars, tram 36, mmtb, hawthorn, tourism
Newspaper clipping and photograph about the departure of the first tram from Ballarat before closure on 2/9/1971. Details the loading, the separation of the 21E truck and transport to Hamilton. Notes that the remaining 18 will be transported to other locations while 6 will remain in Ballarat. See item 3768 for a print of the photograph. The tram returned to the BTPS in 1977. See reference.
Yields information about the tramcars following the cessation of tram services in Ballarat - trams being sent to new homes and how this was done.
Newspaper clipping from The Courier, 3/9/1971
tramways, secv, tramcars, tram 33, transport, closure, hamilton, depot
Discarded remnant of new trolley wire as used in renewal in Wendouree Parade in 2023
Remnant length of new trolley wire
trolley wire, btm
Used to suspend a tramway contact wire from catenary wires, or directly from a span pole. The contact wire is placed between the two halves and clamped in place by fastening the screws.
Shows how tramway contact wire is suspended.
6 screw Ear with contact wire
tramways, trollwywire, equipment, ear
The photograph shows Geelong 7 as built, understood to be a test tram prior to the opening of the system. Photo taken in the then Corio Terrace, now Brougham Street Geelong 1912. Has a number of men on board the tram - depot workers for the photograph? See Item 4314 for another photo looking the other way and item 8612 for a framed version.
Shows Geelong tram No. 7 as built.
Black and White photograph with details on rear
Has SEC Publicity photo stamp on the rear and number 9/274 and a pencil note "Corio Terrace before opening In March 1912"
geelong, mesco, tram 7, corio terrace, opening, tramways
Photograph shows the MESCo Geelong bus that ran to East Geelong (see item 9004). Registration number 6765 outside the Melbourne Electric Supply Co. power station in Corio Terrace Geelong. The bus has been fitted with body bracing indicating a loose body when the photo was taken along with other body panel damage. This bracing is not apparent in the item 9004, possibly indicating shortly before it was withdrawn in 1923. There is a Pay as you enter sign alongside the driver.
Yields information about the MESCo Geelong bus.
Black and White photograph with details on rear
Has SEC Publicity photo stamp on the rear and number P31525.
geelong, buses, mesco
Published for the staff of the SEC in Jan 1971 features general SEC staff news, Eastern Metro, staff news including the retirement of Mr G H J Satchell, with photo, Temporary Traffic Inspector Ballarat tramways.
Demonstrates a SECV Staff magazine.
Magazine, 12 pages, black and white production, centre stapled.
Has RHSV stamp on the cover.
tramways, secv, retirements, ballarat, inspectors
Published for the staff of the SEC, features the Kiewa Valley transmission line, North East towns and workers, industry, Bendigo Tram's Golden Jubilee, (AETA Visit, Mr George Laurens, Doug Dean, Tom Lynch and Basil Miller), electrical safety, meter reading in the country, sports, electric cooking, and sports section. In the retirements were Mr P Pithie, Senior Traffic Inspector Geelong, Mr V Pipps Depot Foreman Geelong and Mr S Watson, Geelong Senior depot clerk. On the inside cover are photos of the package power stations being installed at Geelong, Ballarat (Ballarat B) and Mildura.
Demonstrates a SECV Staff magazine.
Magazine, 36 pages, black and white production, centre stapled.
Has RHSV stamp on the cover and "Case ViiiA" in ink
tramways, geelong, secv, retirements, ballarat b power station, power stations, bendigo
Ballarat Tramways timetable changes sign. This was painted at the Ballarat Depot then screwed to the large timetable boards in the Sturt Street and Lydiard Street shelters. Sign is shaped to replace only those times which needed altering.
This item demonstrates how changes to service times were communicated to the public.
Black metal tramway sign with departure times hand painted in red and white. Irregular shape.
ballarat tramways, timetable boards
Ballarat Tramways timetable changes sign. This was painted at the Ballarat Depot then screwed to the large timetable boards in the Sturt Street and Lydiard Street shelters. Sign is shaped to replace only those times which needed altering.
This item demonstrates how changes to service times were communicated to the public.
Black metal tramway sign with departure times hand painted in red and white. Irregular shape.
ballarat tramways, timetable boards
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
